New Lives
by Cyber Dragoon
Summary: Ranma shows up at the Masaki residence, but is trapped as a girl, and there is the matters of an engagement that seems rather strange. Something is up but no one can tell what it is yet.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is owned by Rumiko Takahashi. Tenchi Muyo is owned by whatever person or company is fortunate enough to own it.  
  
A Ranma ½ / Tenchi Muyo / other fanfic New Life Prologue: A terrible time.  
  
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As evening decended upon the Masaki household, the members of said household made their way to the dinner table to eat. Once they were all seated, the looked over the food that had been prepared for them. The only person not present at the moment was Yosho, and he would be there in a moment.  
"Can't we eat yet!" complained Ryoko.  
"Not until Grandfather gets here." Tenchi stated for Sasami. "He said he had a surprise and wanted to tell us before we ate."  
"That is correct." said Yosho from the doorway, startling everyone in the room. At that moment, a slight beeping prompted Washu to pull out her holo-computer. "Tenchi, do you remember your cousin Ranma?" Yosho asked.  
"Ummm." Tenchi looked thoughtfull for a minute before nodding. "Yeah, I think I do. Didn't he go on some sort of long training trip to become a martial artist?"  
Yosho nodded right as his right hand shot out to the side of the door and stayed. "Yes, that's right. Not long ago, he returned, but due to certain events, Nodoka has asked for us to take Ranma in for the next while." Suddenly a big grin was plastered on his face. "Meet your cousin Ranma!" With that he pulled a petit girl with fiery red hair from outside the door to right in front of him.  
"What was that for. GRANPA NO BAKA." she yelled before raising her hand over Yosho's head and knocking him into the floor. At the end of the swing, she paused for a moment, then turned to face the others in the room. The hand she had used to pound Yosho, now came up to scratch the back of her head. Laughing nervously, she finally spoke to them. "I'm Ranma, sorry bout that."  
Everyone else had different reactions in their shock, and the fact that Ranma was Tenchi's cousin, seemed to sit large in several heads, primarily Washu.  
'A new guinea pig.' Washu  
'Another rival.' Ryoko  
'Another rival.' Ayeka  
'Another friend.' Sasami  
'She's cute.' Nobiyuki  
'Wow. She's beautiful.' Tenchi  
'Another friend.' Ryo-oki  
Ranma was nervous from all the stares, though the two girls glaring at her was rather strange. 'I hope, this isn't going to be too bad, though I do wish I knew why mom sent me here.' was her thoughts. Behind her Yosho was getting up from his position on the floor. He took one look around and wondered if he should make the other announcement. The looks on the girls faces seemed to indicate otherwise, but the look on Tenchi's seemed to deem it worthwhile.  
As he finally stood all the way up, he cleared his throught, drawing the attention to him. "Well, I guess the only thing left to do before eating is to announce that, as according to the traditions of the Masaki clan of Japan, and in concurance with Jurian tradition, that since Ranma is now a female and the eldest daughter of Nodoka, and Tenchi is the eldest son of Achika, then the two are bound to be married." the stunned silence was what he expected. Though the reason it persisted was rather surprising. Ranma was glowing a dark red.  
Yosho backed away from his granddaughter and hoped that she wouldn't hurt him too bad for this making this announcement. Ranma was starting to quake and the dark red aura around her was changing into a sickly dark green.  
The others watched this with numbed minds. Tenchi and Ryoko, who both happened to be the closest to the girl were the only ones to notice the tears working their way down her cheeks. "Why? Why me?" Ranma said quietly. "Does everything always come to this?" The aura around the girl vanished, and she turned and fled, her red hair waving behind her since it was only bound in a loose ponytail.  
Ryoko, who was actually close enough to see Ranma's eyes before she fled, had seen something there that tore at even her. A lonelyness and desperation that rivaled what she had felt for years before coming to live with Tenchi. As the girl fled into the night, she got up and called after her before following the girl, Tenchi hot on her heels with concern for his cousin.  
  
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Next Chapter: Chapter 1 (Ranma-chan's voice) How did I end up in this situation, permanently a girl, engaged to my cousin. Why did I leave all the others behind. Stupid wishing stone. But should I tell my cousin and that strange girl who came with him? Will I be able to make friends, even with the engagement hanging over our heads. I hope so. The pain in my heart, is too strong to forget.  
  
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Authors Notes: How is the story? Should I continue it? I know it formed up rather quick. It went really quick, even for my tastes, but if it seems promising tell me, I look forward to all critisism, good or bad. 


	2. Chapter 1

Disclaimer:See prologue.(I don't feel like writing it for each chapter)  
  
New Lives Chapter 1: Pain Unforgotten  
  
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As Tenchi and Ryoko hurried out the door after the departing redhead, everyone else just sat at the table, too stunned to move for what seemed an eternity. Outside the doorway, Yosho just smiled slightly before frowning.  
Out in the woods, Tenchi and Ryoko followed the sounds that the distressed girl was making as she hurried through the woods. After a minute, the sounds stopped, and next, they came out of the woods and were on the edge of the lake.  
"Ranma!" Tenchi called out.  
"Leave me alone." came the response from above and behind them. The two turned and looked up into the trees and spotted a leg hanging off a tree branch, the leg was connected to the person they had been following.  
"What happened?" Ryoko asked. "What makes you so lonely and sad?" Ryoko called up to the girl, her voice craking slightly at the end. Tenchi looked at Ryoko a minute before turning back to Ranma.  
"No one cares about me. All I've ever been, even for my mom and pop was a means to an end. Even a meal ticket." Soft sobs could be heard drifting down to them from above.  
"Why do you say that?" Tenchi asked, confusion evident in his voice.  
Ranma sighed, then started to talk, skimming over her life on the road and the time at the Tendo's all the way up to the failed wedding. By then, the others had come from the house and were listening, and many of them were pale. "It was after that, that I found out about this orb that could grant the possesor two wishes. It was said to be dangerous, but I decided to take a chance. I just didn't know it was cursed and had a sense of humor." She clenched her hands into fists, when she felt a prsence next to her. Ryoko had floated up to the girl. Though their lives were different, they shared alot in common, so Ryoko felt sympathy for the girl. As she floated there, she hugged her in a comforting way.  
"Thanks." Ranma said after a minute. "I found the orb and made two wishes. To be the greatest martial artist ever, and to be rid of my curse. It sealed me in my cursed form, though I've yet to notice anything else." She sighed as she remembered those events. "That was about a month ago. It was two more weeks before I was able to make my way back home. When I got home, and they found out about what happened to my curse, things went to hell. Pop and Mr. Tendo got really upset, Akane go mad, Nabiki and Kasumi tried to be sympathetic. Ukyo got mad and wouldn't listen, and the amazons started to act very strange, but mom was stranger. She started acting like what happened was what she wanted to happen, and now that her son was gone, I would be her daughter, totally overlooking how I was feeling."  
Tears started to escape from her again. "I didn't understand it. It was like she didn't want me to be a son, she was alot nicer and loving when I became trapped." Sobs start to steal her voice, and most of the people feel their hearts tear at what Ranma must be feeling.  
Finally, Yosho, who had come along with everyone else spoke up. "That's true Ranma." Ranma stopped and looked at her grandfather. Confusion was evident on her face. "While Nodoka was pregnent with you, she had been told that you would be a daughter that would grow and achieve anything you put your mind to. When you were born a boy, she was heartbroken because it seemed that would not come true."  
"But when I was sealed as a girl..." Ranma started. Yosho just nodded his head. Ranma looked up at the stars with Ryoko still hugging her from the side.  
"So what became of the other wish?" Tenchi asked. Ranma and everyone else looked at him for a second before Ranma looked up at the stars again and the others looked at her.  
"It made me stronger and faster, but it gave me a stinkin' tail. See!" The brown belt around her waist came loose and started to wave at them. The others just boggled at the sight, but Washu started to do more scans on her.  
Ryoko released the hug and flew around the tree to look at the tail. "Can I?" She asked, reaching out to touch it. After a few seconds thought, Ranma concented with a nod. Ryoko reached out a lightly touched the tail. "It's soft." she stated as Ranma shivered at the contact.  
Yosho finally asked something on everyone's minds but had yet to be answered. "Ranma, why did you run off like that?"  
She glanced down at him before closing her eyes and leaned against the tree. "It's hard to say, but since I made those wishes, I've felt different. My emotions have been out of control, and I don't seem to care if I ever become a man again." She suddenly started to laugh. "Pops almost died when mom forbad him from forcing me to look for a cure, not that I'd know where to even begin."  
Down on the ground, Sasami shivered as the chill of the night air began to get to her. "Can we go back to the house, it's getting cold, and so is dinner." she said. Ranma looked down at the young girl then nodded.  
"Yeah, that sounds good." she said then smiled slightly.  
As everyone else walked off, Yosho and Washu stayed behind. "So, Yosho, what is the real reason that she is here?" Washu asked.  
"I don't understand?" he said.  
"What you said sounds nice and dandy, but there was no reason for you to go through all the potential pain to push something like this.  
"Your very observant I see.  
"So why, I know you wouldn't push them to hard if they truly were cousins, you din't like the fact that you were supposed to marry your half sister, and that's why your here."  
"Yes, your right. And Ranma isn't completely Tenchi's cousin."  
  
"What!"  
"Yes, Ranma was born from my youngest daughter, but wasn't truly her child."  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
"You'll find out soon enough, I know you will." Yosho said before walking off towards the house, Washu trailing behind him, digesting everything she had learned tonight.  
"We'll se Yosho, and I think I have a new perpose with that girl, don't I?" she said quietly.  
  
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Next Chapter:  
With my story out in the open, everything starts to settle down a little. Ryoko seems nice enough, and Sasami is a great cook. My grandfather also seems to insist that I start training in the Masaki style of swordsmanship. Might be intresting, and I get to spar with tenchi. Everything seems to be going great, but the pain of my past is still close to the surface. Life goes on as the pain stays low.  
  
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Authors note: Please review, how is the story so far. Is it good? Should I continue? I've got idea's on where to take it, but right now, I've got several other story's all competing for attention from me to write them. If you like this story, maybe you should try some of my others as well. Well what ever you decide is your desision. Plese review, I look forward to all reviews. 


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